Love will keep us alive
by wordmad
Summary: [FINISHED] PostGift fic, preofficial Spuffy. AUish. My version of the interim between S5 and S6. Willow tries to save Buffy after her jump and the aftermath of that choice.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** _This is my post-"The Gift" fic - wrote it slightly after Buffy's resurrection in S6. I found it languishing in a file folder in my e-mail box ... though unfortunately I lost the original ending. I'll have to rewrite that. In the meantime, here's the beginnings of it..._

**Disclaimer:** _These characters are, of course, not mine. They belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and various other people I am probably forgetting. I am only borrowing them to play._

* * *

The white shimmer of the portal closing faded into the rays of morning peeking over the horizon. Buffy lay crumpled on the ground, her hair in a golden shimmer behind her.

The Scoobies stood frozen in shock at the sacrifice of their friend. Xander held Anya in his arms. Spike was frozen on the ground, emotions threatening to overwhelm him. Giles stepped forward, a broken man. Willow clenched Tara's arm, an anchor in the storm of emotion roiling around them all.

"Buffy!" Dawn shrieked from high above on the tower. "Buffy..." she repeated softly, her voice quivering. Wincing at the pain from the wounds Doc had carved in her side and chest, she began climbing down the tower.

"Spike, help Dawn," Willow said.

"Careful, niblet," Spike called. "I'm coming up."

He began climbing slowly up the tower to meet Dawn, his own injuries from the fall off the tower making his movements painful.

Buffy groaned.

"Spike, Dawn, hurry!" Willow cried, tears running down her face, dripping onto the face of her best friend. "She's still alive."

Spike met Dawn on the face of the tower. "Hop on," he said, motioning to his shoulders. Dawn carefully grasped Spike's shoulders, clasping her legs around his waist. With his precious cargo latched firmly on his back like a baby monkey on the back of its mother, he moved quickly down to the ground.

Dawn ran to Buffy, kneeling next to Willow.

"Buffy, you can't leave me," Dawn said brokenly. "Not now...not after all this."

"Like I told you on the tower, I need you to live for me," Buffy gasped, her breath coming harder. "Every Slayer knows her time will come. This must be mine."

Buffy's eyes closed.

"No!" Dawn wailed. "Not you too...I want Mom..."

Buffy opened her eyes once more. "I'm ... not... alone ..." she rasped. "You ... are ... all my strength." Her breathing slowed and stopped.

"Do something!" Spike snapped at Willow, his eyes dark with pain and unshed tears. "You're the Wiccan who's been kicking arse the past few days!"

Tara put her hand on Willow's arm, shaking her head. "No, honey. It's not our place to interfere in the natural order," she said. "She knew what the cost was when she entered this battle."

In a split second, Willow looked up at her friends: Tara, with her mind newly restored; Spike, who in his own way loved Buffy; Xander, who was willing to give his all for Buffy; Anya, ready to leap in when needed; Giles, whose love for Buffy was almost a father's.

"I can't say goodbye again," Willow said. "The world still needs her." Taking a moment to center herself, she tapped into the deep resources of power she'd found and the newly gathered knowledge from Glory, reached forward and placed her hands on Buffy's temples. Tapping into her her recent forays into Buffy's subconscious, she went deeply into Buffy's mind, seeking that familiar spark that was her friend.

Finding that spark, grasping it, trying to hold it to herself, she slowly withdrew from Buffy's mind. As she did, darkness fell across Buffy's mind. Willow shivered and fell to the ground, senseless. She awoke to Tara's hand on her face.

"Are...are you okay?" Tara asked, her doe eyes sad and concerned. Willow sat up, seeing Xander kneeling over Buffy, Spike sitting curled into a ball, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs. "She died," Tara said softly, answering the unspoken question in Willow's eyes.

"I...I failed?" Willow said softly. "I thought I could save her..." She stood up, walked over to Dawn, who was standing next to Spike, and put her arms around her. "I'm so sorry," Willow wept. "I tried, Dawnie, I tried..."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N -** _This chapter does contain an original character, based on a friend of mine. But I think she's a bit more evolved than a Mary Sue. :) This chapter deals with the gang's grief at Buffy's funeral and their decision about whether or not to carry on the battle against evil._

* * *

They wept again at Buffy's funeral. The gang tried to be strong for each other, but they each drifted away to their homes to grieve in their own manner. 

But Giles stayed, the Watcher in him needing to stand vigil for Buffy a little longer, unwilling to say goodbye. He stood stoically at the foot of Buffy's gravestone, reading it silently to himself, thinking back over the things he had done over the past few days, the terror and anger that had overwhelmed them all.

"She saved the world a lot," he thought. "Indeed. But when she needed me, I couldn't save her."

His back ramrod straight, staring into the distance, he let the tears fall that he had held back for the rest of the gang.

"Excuse me," came a soft voice. "Are you alright?"

Wiping his eyes briskly, Giles turned, finding a pair of dark eyes looking into his. She brushed her dark hair off her face, extended her hand with a soft smile.

"I'm Bess," she said. "I'm not usually one to stalk random people in the woods, but I was out for a walk and could nearly physically sense the pain coming from you. I thought you might need a sympathetic ear that wasn't involved in the situation."

"Giles," he said by way of introduction. "I've spent a lot of time around graves the past five years."

"Lost a lot of friends?" she said quietly.

"Something like that."

"Someone close to you?" she asked, gesturing to the new grave.

"Almost a daughter."

"I'm sorry."

"Me too," he said. "Me too."

"Listen," Bess said quietly, sensing his desire to be alone. "You need some time to grieve. Don't be afraid to take it. But if you need a listening ear, don't be afraid to call." She wrote her phone number on a small slip of paper and handed it to him.

"Thank you," Giles said, his accent more crisp than usual. "I ... I help a group of young people and I needed to be strong for them. I appreciated the listening ear."

She stuck her hand out again and Giles clasped it. She reached around and clasped his arm, quietly appreciating the feel of his strong bicep, but sending a soft wave of peace to him through her physical contact.

"Be well, Mr. Giles," she said as she walked away, her long brown hair wafting gently in the breeze. He watched her go, wondering slightly at what had transpired, but grief overtook him again.

* * *

Willow and Tara lay side by side in bed. Willow stared at the ceiling, counting the tiles for the hundredth time that night, thinking over her five-year friendship with Buffy, thinking over the past few days. She looked over at Tara, remembering again how Glory had cruelly ripped Tara's mind from her. 

Willow began to weep silently. Joyce...Tara...Buffy...all within the scope of a few months.

Tara stirred.

"Are you alright, Wil?" Tara asked, turning over to face her. Noting the tears, she wiped them away gently with her thumb and gave Willow a gentle kiss.

"I can't believe she's gone," Willow said brokenly. "I can still feel her here with me."

"I can still feel my mom with me," Tara said. "But I still miss her."

"I just keep wondering if we can go on like before," Willow said. "She's dead for real this time. Not just away...The world still needs someone willing to face evil."

"You are the strongest person I know," Tara said. "If it's meant to be, you'll find a way to do it

"Thanks, sweetie," Willow said with a lopsided smile. "I know I'm grieving for Buffy, but I missed you. I'm so glad to have you back." She snuggled closer to Tara, resting her head on her shoulder. Tara put her arm around Willow and the two eventually drifted back to sleep.

* * *

The next day, the gang met at the Magic Shop to discuss whether to continue patrols or whether their time fighting evil was at an end. 

"Giles, what do you think?" Xander asked. "We did it before, we can do it again."

"No," said Anya. "Buffy's dead. We're getting married. I'm not having you in danger. A dead fiance can't make money or give orgasms."

"Your concern for Xander's safety is overwhelming, Anya," said Giles, briskly polishing his glasses.

"But without something to stand in the gap, the vamps will drain this place dry," Willow argued.

"I don't know if I'm even a Watcher anymore, or what responsibilities I have to you," Giles said tiredly. "My Slayer is dead. It's up to you."

Tara said quietly, "I don't want to get killed anymore than the rest of you. But if nothing else, we can do it in her memory. She was strong for us; we can be strong for her."

They all were quiet for a moment.

"Dawn," said Willow. "We can't have you in trouble. Your situation is precarious enough as it stands. You stay here with Giles, we'll go on patrol tonight."

"But Glory's gone ..." Dawn protested.

"No, Dawn," Willow said sternly. "I told you to live for me."

Dawn blinked.

"Will? She ... Buffy said that."

"I must've heard her say that," Willow replied. "I'm sorry. My brain feels like it's been through a blender. It just came out funny."

Dawn nodded. "If you say so."

The gang rummaged through the chest of weapons that they had brought from Buffy's home, choosing their favorite weapons. Tara tilted her head to the side as Willow grabbed a hefty battleaxe instead of her usual stake and holy water.

"Going for the big guns today?" Tara asked.

"Just want to be ready," Willow replied.

Xander looked oddly at Willow but didn't say a word. Weapons in hand, the group headed out, ready for action.


	3. Chapter 3

Stepping carefully around headstones, the gang moved quietly through the Sunnydale Cemetery.

"Uh-oh," Xander whispered, motioning to an open grave. "We've got company. Newbies, at that."

On alert, the foursome split up, Xander and Anya going one way and Willow and Tara going the other, coming around opposite sides of the grave. Willow moved quietly, stealthily, Tara a step or two behind her. Suddenly, a vamp, face twisted in a reflection of the inner demon, leaped from the bushes, tackling Tara.

Tara screamed, rolling with the blow. "Willow!"

Her red hair flying, Willow whipped around, quickly assessing the situation. She ran toward the struggling pair, saying a powerful spell of protection for Tara.

"You're messing with the wrong chica," Willow said. "Pick on someone your own size."

The vamp growled angrily. "More to drink, that's all."

"I'll keep my blood in MY veins, thanks," Willow said, executing a perfect roundhouse kick to the vampire's head. He stumbled, falling back. Willow pressed her advantage, pummeling the vamp with powerful blows.

The vampire backhanded Willow across the face. She rolled with the punch, landing next to the axe she'd dropped. Grabbing it quickly, Willow swung it back and with an efficient swipe of the glittering blade, decapitated the vampire. Its head fell to the floor, its body following shortly. Both parts exploded into dust.

Willow stayed frozen in position for a moment, the axe in her right hand, her head turned over her left shoulder, breathing hard.

"Will?" came a very uncertain voice. "How did... why did... the axe ... " Xander's voice trailed off as he and Anya stepped from the bushes. "We heard Tara scream. I'm confused. You could've been Buffy with those moves."

Tara stepped up, putting her hands on Willow's chin. "That vamp gave you a hard hit. Are you okay?" she asked.

"Feeling better already," Willow said nonchalantly.

"You... never fight like that," Tara said.

Confused herself, Willow turned to the group. "Let's go see Giles."

* * *

They trooped back into the magic shop.

"Giles?" Tara said. "We need you."

"What about?" he asked crisply. "I was headed out to meet someone."

"It's Willow," Xander said, pointing. "Smart girl went Slayer girl!"

"What?" Giles asked. "Somebody interpret please. I don't speak Xander."

Tara looked up at him. "We were on patrol, she and I," Tara said. "A vamp jumped me. She gave him a roundhouse kick and then punched him like a punching bag. Then she decapitated him with the axe!"

Giles blinked.

"What were you doing with an axe, Willow?" he asked.

"That's what we asked," Xander said. "I told her she could've been Buffy with those moves!"

"You tried to save Buffy when she died, didn't you?" Giles asked, chewing thoughtfully on the earpiece of his glasses.

"I thought with what I'd learned from Glory ... and ... and the power of the dark magicks, I could save Buffy," Willow said softly. "But I failed. Her mind went dark. I almost didn't make it out myself."

"I wonder," Giles said. "Maybe mind melds aren't a Star Trek thing. Tara, can you assist me with something?"

"S-s-sure, Mr. Giles," Tara said.

Giles pondered, looking through a few books, and suggested the three of them go to the training room. "I think it's very possible you were successful in grasping Buffy's essence, Willow," he said. "That's where the 'live for me' comment came from, the moves like Buffy. I think there's a way we can know for sure."

He explained what his goal was. Tara and Willow would hold hands, amplifying their power. Tara would attempt to enter Willow's mind as Willow had Buffy's and it would be like active hypnosis.

Shuffling quietly, a little nervous, the girls sat Indian-style in the middle of the floor. They reached out to each other and grasped hands. Staring deeply into Willow's eyes, Tara began saying the spell that would allow her into Willow's subconcious. The room drifted away for both of them.

A petite redhead, hair in pigtails, sat at a computer desk, her legs swinging as she flipped through files on the Internet.

"Willow?" said Tara.

"Yeah?"

"Have you seen Buffy?"

"She's next door," the child-Willow replied, grasping Tara's hand, leading her toward the door of her room. "I got to play with her again! It's been a long time! We played knights and dragons! I'm learning to fight!"

Tara nodded, more than slightly amazed. They knocked at the door of a white house. The door opened to reveal a small girl, blonde hair in a ponytail.

"Willow! Come to play again?"

"I can't, Buffy," pouted Willow. "The big one wanted to see you. I like her though, anyhow."

Tara gulped. "I'm a bit over my head," she said. "You two play. I have to leave now."

She murmered the spell and came back to herself. Willow blinked and smiled, squeezing Tara's hand. Giles stepped forward, a questioning look on his face.

"It's her," Tara said softly. "They're both there." A look of amazement crossed Giles' face. "A Slayer and a Wiccan sharing one body? That's ... unheard of," he breathed.


	4. Chapter 4

Giles sat in his room, still pondering the surprising events of that day.

"Buffy is in Willow," he said to himself. "I wonder if we can get her out? But to where? Buffy's body is dead. There are the resurrection spells - but those are impossible, even for witches as powerful as Willow and Tara, I'd think."

He poured himself a glass of sherry and tossed it back quickly.

"My head hurts," he announced to the curtains behind him as he began shuffling off to bed.

* * *

"How do we get her out of my head?" Willow asked Tara.

"CAN we get her out is the question," Tara said.

"Well, we did get your brain from Glory - I can show you how I did it, maybe you can retrieve Buffy's mind from mine," Willow said. "But then what?"

"I ... I don't know," Tara replied softly. "With Buffy dead, short of a resurrection spell, I can't imagine. But we can't even go there."

"No, of course not," Willow said. "But we've already altered nature by taking her mind ... would it be so bad to reanimate her body?"

"Do you know what you're asking yourself to do, Wills?" Tara asked. "I've seen the rituals. I've read the books. It's aweful."

"But ... Tara ... if she doesn't come back, I'll be the Slayer," Willow said. "And I'm not one to go all kickbox-y and stuff. I'm the smart one, not the strong one."

"That's where you're wrong, Willow," Tara said. "I've seen what you can do with Buffy's mind in yours. I think, until we figure out something, you'll be great. And you have your magic to aid you."

"But ... I c-c-could get killed," Willow said. "Or vamped. I've seen Vamp Willow. Didn't like her. Except her clothes. Those were OK. Don't wanna do that again." Her voice caught as emotions overwhelmed her.

Willow wept into her pillow. She felt a soothing wave of understanding roll over her - but it wasn't Tara.

"I know, Will, I felt the same way when I found out about my destiny ... that I might not see my senior prom ... spend any time in college ... see my 25th birthday ... but I survived ... my death was my own ... you can do it ..."

"But Buffy, you're the Slayer, not me ..." she whispered softly.

"I need you to live for me, now, Willow," the thought rolled over her. "I'll be here. Giles will be here. Even the peroxide addict will be here for you."

Willow lifted her head and looked at Tara, her green eyes dark with tears.

"I'll do it," she said. "For Buffy."

Tara reached over and wrapped Willow's trembling body in her arms. "I love you," she whispered

"And I love you," Willow whispered softly. "Just hold me, Tara?"

"I'll never let you go, sweetie," she replied.

* * *

"WHAT?" Spike yelled at Giles, standing in the Magic Box. "Red has got the Slayer's mind and powers?"

"Yes, it appears that way," Giles said.

"Bloody 'ell," Spike said, looking dumbfounded. "How did that happen?"

"It seems that Willow was successful in her attempts to retrieve Buffy's mind, her essence, before she died, contrary to what we thought," Giles explained.

"So get her out!" Spike said.

"I'm afraid it's not quite that simple," Giles said. "What we have is a dead body and we have an essence in another body. It's not quite as simple to just put the essence in the body. You need a live body for anything to be remotely possible."

"So?" Spike said. "Even I've been around long enough to know about resurrection spells - or at least reanimation spells."

"Good God, man, do you know what you're asking? You have to find at least an Urn of Osiris, and the wine of life, and that's not counting that you're BRINGING SOMEBODY BACK FROM THE DEAD," Giles said loudly.

"Not really," Spike said. "Just her body is dead."

"How do you know she won't be a zombie?" Giles asked.

"'Night of the Living Dead'" Spike said. "That's a typical night in Sunnydale, anyways. Romero thought he was so creative."

He paused, taking a drag from his omnipresent cigarette.

"I was just asking, anyways," Spike said. "I gotta go check on Red on patrol."

* * *

Willow walked quietly down the road, her step noiseless but unhurried. She neared the cemetery, her eyes mindful of vampires that could be lurking in the shadows. Seeing none and sensing none, she moved forward. Stepping stealthily around the tombstones, she walked toward a crypt.

"Spirits of the land and sky, lend to me your seeing eye, let me see the demons near, to help me get around my fear," Willow murmered her spell softly.

In a glow of green just in her peripheral vision, she saw the drooling-mouthed vision of a G'Nar demon - a demon that invaded dreams and stole sanity.

Willow panicked briefly. "Vamps I know. Not hard. Swish, poke, poof. But demons? I can't carry books on patrol," she whispered. "What am I supposed to do?"

"G'Nar. Vulnerable to copper-based items. Also to decapitation - like most things." A wave of amusement rolled over Willow. She gulped as she realized she'd forgotten the axe at her dorm, just carrying her own spike.

"Nice demon," she said, looking at its red eyes. "Don't suppose nice demon would go away, would he?"

"Noooo," it growled in response.

"S'pose not. That'd be easy." Willow said.

The demon leaped at her, snarling. She snapped a perfect high-kick into its chin, knocking it backwards. It leaped back up and approached her again, this time a little more warily. It reached and backhanded her, sending her sprawling.

Willow rolled with the punch. The demon followed, pummeling her slender body. A cry of pain burst from the redhead's lips.

"Copper, Willow, copper," the thought crossed her mind. Slipping a hand into her jeans, she came up with a handful of pennies. She tried to throw them at the demon, but it grabbed her hand and shook them loose, slapping her again.

"No!" she yelled.

The demon grabbed her, holding her face outward, and crushed her against its body. She groaned in pain, feeling her ribs creaking. Seeing the coins on the ground, she tried to concentrate. Imposing her will, murmering a spell, she levitated the coins briefly.

"Hey ugly!" she yelled. "Take that!"

She ducked her head down, mentally flinging the coins at the demon. To her surprise, the coins flew through the demons body, springing leaks of green goo. With a shower of entrails, the demon exploded.

"Eeeew!" Willow grimaced, picking a length of what appeared to be intestine off her shoulder.

"Nice going, Red," an arrogant voice said.

Smelling the cigarettes he smoked before she saw him, Willow said, "Spike."

"Don't act so pleased to see me," Spike said. "Nice improvisation there, actually. I don't know where Wicca powers will get you with vamps, but hey."

"And thank YOU for helping me out, since you obviously watched me get beat," Willow snapped.

"Oh, sod off, you weren't in THAT much trouble," Spike said.

"And you weren't the one getting entrails all over you, either, now were you?" Willow questioned.

Stepping closer to her, Spike looked in her eyes, searching for something. "I don't know," he said to himself. "I don't see her."

"Her?" Willow said.

"G told me. Buffy in you and what-not. I tried to talk him into a resurrection spell so we could get Buffy out of you," Spike said.

"Oh, you just want her back so you can get with her," Willow said.

"Jealous, are you, pet?" Spike said, sidling up to her, his eyes dark and dangerous.

"You wish," Willow snapped as she began walking.

"Oh, and you don't want her back, Red?" Spike snarled, grabbing her shoulder and spinning her around to face him. "What kind of a friend are you?"

"A mortal friend," she said softly. "One who can STILL die."

"And tell me you want to be the Slayer forever? Or until ..." Spike said.

"Shut up, Spike," she snarled, punching him, and running for the street again.


	5. Chapter 5

"You're bruised," Tara said quietly as she washed Willow's back.

"It'll heal - I hope," Willow replied, wincing, sitting forward in the bath to let Tara get farther along her back. She smiled at her lover, kneeling on the floor next to the bathtub.

Tara leaned over and gave her a soft kiss. "How was patrol?" she asked, sitting against the bathroom wall.

"Oh, the usual, kablooey demons, Spike-punching, the usual," Willow replied.

"Why did you punch Spike?" Tara asked.

"He was trying to say that I want Buffy back so I wouldn't have to be the Slayer anymore," Willow replied. "And he asked me what kind of a friend I was."

"Jerk," Tara said. "A good friend. One who let Buffy live with the choice she made."

"But she's still in my head," Willow said. "I don't know what to do."

"I do," Tara said, reaching her hand to Willow, her eyes inviting. "Love me."

Willow stepped out of the bath, the goo finally out of her red hair, and wrapped herself in a towel. Following Tara to their bed, they kissed and made love, able to forget for a few moments the stress of being the erstwhile Slayer - and the one who loved her.

* * *

Giles sat at home, wondering about Willow on patrol, how she was doing. He wondered how Buffy was. WHERE Buffy was.

"I've got to get out of my flat," he said to himself. "Maybe I can call Bess."

He rummaged in his suitcoat pockets until he found the slip of paper she'd written on. Carrying the piece of paper, he sat down on his couch and dialed the number.

"Hello?" a soft feminine voice came on the phone. "Yes, hello, this is Rupert Giles, we met.."

"...in the woods," she replied. "This is Bess. How are you?"

"Truth be told, not great. Could we go get a drink, perhaps?"

"That sounds nice," she said. "Want to meet at WannaBees? That's got some quiet corner tables."

"Sure," Giles replied. "Shall we say in a half-hour?"

"Sounds good. See you then."

"Yes, then," Giles said. "Thank you, Bess."

"Thank you, Rupert."

A half hour later found Giles in a corner booth by himself, nervously sipping a whiskey. He stood quickly when he saw the dark-haired beauty walk into the bar and look around. He waved discreetly and she made her way through the other tables to him.

"A Long Island iced tea, please," she said to the server who was nearest them.

"Sure thing, lady," he said and went to get the drink. Giles and Bess sat across from each other on the round table with the curved seat arcing between them. Bess looked calmly at Giles as he took off his glasses and began polishing them with the napkin his glass had rested on.

"You're agitated, aren't you?" she said softly.

"I'm still dealing with all of this...there's so much I need to talk about, but I don't know if I can," he said.

"Well, give me a try," Bess offered. "I think you'll find I'm surprisingly hard to shock."

"To understand my problem, you have to understand who I am," he said. "I'm a Watcher."

"A watcher? As in a peeping Tom?" she questioned.

"No, capital W," he said.

"I'm part of a group from England. Part of what I do is train and watch over a girl who fights vampires."

"A Slayer?" she asked.

He blinked in surprise. "Yes, how did you know?"

"I was a literature major in college," she replied. "We did a section on journals and such, and now it makes me think that one of them we studied was part of your group."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Fascinating. Those are supposed to be under much better guard than that." Giles said.

"I just didn't know the NAME of what that group was called," she said. "It talked about a young girl who fought vampires and ... it told how she died."

"Yes." Giles said, his voice getting softer. "The woods by the gravestone? I was saying goodbye to my Slayer. But then it got all terribly muddled."

"How's that?" she asked.

"One of Buffy's friends — Buffy was my Slayer — is a powerful witch. In the last year, Willow's dabbled with the darker powers of magic and learned some amazing things. One of the entities we fought had stolen her lover's mind from her and Willow retrieved it through magic," Giles said.

Bess took a deep swallow of her drink. "That doesn't surprise me much," she said. "To tell you the truth, I'm very sensitive to the magicks and slightly telepathic. Back a few months, I sensed a really powerful person at work. I suspect it was her."

"But the strange part," Giles said. "Happened when Buffy died. Or sort of died. Buffy gave her life to save her sister's by jumping off a tower. She survived for a little while after the fall. Willow tried to save her through magickal means but thought she failed."

He stopped for a moment, tossing back the remains of his drink. He wiped his mouth, let out a breath and continued.

"It seems Willow was able to retrieve not only Buffy's mind but also her essence," Giles said. "Willow shares Buffy's memories and Slayer skills, as well as using her own magickal powers. Now we don't know what to do. The others want to resurrect her through magickal means and then figure out how Willow can put Buffy back together again."

It was Bess' turn to blink. "Giles - perhaps the Fates ordained us to run into each other. I may know a way to remedy the situation. In digging through medieval literature texts in college, I found some spell books that deal with these sorts of things. Let me do some research and get back to you."

"Please do," Giles said quietly. "While Willow's twice as powerful as some Slayers - with Wicca and fighting skills at her command — she's also only doing this in Buffy's memory. Buffy was fulfilling prophecy, she was doing what destiny demanded. If she wasn't supposed to die then, I fear for Willow's survival."

* * *

A week had gone by. Giles had spent a lot of time considering what to do. Willow continued as the erstwhile Slayer and life continued as usual — for the Hellmouth. Following a particular brutal fight with a vampire, Willow came to Giles.

"I don't know if I can do this, Giles," she said. "Levitating pencils to stake vampires and having Buffy's fighting skills only go so far. I'm still ME at heart."

"Hold on a little longer, Willow," he said. "Bess, a lady I met a few weeks ago thinks she may be able to remedy the situation."

"How can anybody remedy this?" Willow asked. "Buffy's still in my head."

"She thinks she may know a spell that can transfer Buffy's essence back to her. We're trying to figure out how to reanimate Buffy's body, though, short of spells. Those are ruthless - and often unpredictable," Giles said.

"Look!" Willow said. "You are powerful. I'm powerful. Tara's powerful. This Bess, I take it she's a witch too?"

"Yes," Giles said. "She's been practicing for many years."

"How can the four of us NOT help Buffy?" Willow asked.

"Bess will let us know," Giles said. "I trust her."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** _Sorry this one is so short. The next and final chapter will be longer._

Another week later, the four spellcasters got the call they'd waited for. Bess asked them to meet her at Buffy's grave. Each brought the items Bess requested: ceremonial knives, goblets and healing herbs. They walked quietly through the woods toward the site they all knew so well. As they entered the clearing, they were surprised to see Spike kneeling on the grave, his head resting on the gravestone.

"Slayer, you can't leave me forever," he said quietly. "I've saved you every night since you died - and there's no one here to save me. I'm dead...but I have no reason to go on with this life, such..." He choked off the last word as he jumped up, having heard the others enter the clearing. "So what are you blokes up to?" he asked, resuming his customary swagger.

"Something you can't be a part of," Giles said crisply.

Spike walked around the group. "Knives...goblets...herbs...the urn of Osir...THE URN OF OSIRIS? ... all that's missing is blood and you could do a res..." Spike's voice trailed off. "Bloody hell. You're going to do it, aren't you?"

Bess stepped from behind the Scoobies and gave Spike a long, evaluating stare. He returned it, slightly confrontational.

"What?" he said. "You can just sod off if you think I'm leaving."

"You love her, don't you?" Bess asked. Willow leaped to deny it, followed closely by Giles.

"I did. But she's not here," Spike said flatly.

"We could use a fifth person for the spell," Bess said to the others.

She turned back to Spike and asked, "And if I'm not mistaken, you're a vampire, no?"

Spike vamped briefly to answer her question.

"A demon would have a good connection to the spirits," Bess said thoughtfully. "And we need those who care about her - or care about those who care about Buffy."

"Well, what do I have to do?" Spike said.

He turned and glared at Giles, who was glaring at him after his admission of love for Buffy.

"What, you let the poof be with her, and look how THAT turned out!" he retorted. "I'm not leaving if there's anything I can do."

"I've been thinking about it, though," Spike said to Bess and the others. "What if she's happy where she is? What if her soul's in heaven, not in torment? After all she's done, surely the powers would let her have her reward."

Willow tapped her head. "She's not anywhere, Spike, but here, remember?" she asked. "I have her essence in me. Her body has only been in the grave - everything else has been with me. This isn't resurrection - it's reanimation."

"I'm in," Spike said. "What do we do?"

Bess instructed them to dig down to the grave and open the casket.

"Been awhile since I've seen one of these from this angle," Spike said, tossing out another shovelful of dirt. They finally hit the white casket. Willow gulped hard as she stood next to Spike in the hole.

"I can't, Spike," she said. "What if she's...decayed?"

"Happens," Spike said He reached down, taking a deep not-needed breath himself, and carefully undid the lid and opened it. He dropped to his knees at the sight. Buffy hadn't changed a bit. Perhaps some benevolent force had been at work, but no decay had touched her body in the months underground.

"She...she looks the same," Willow said softly, looking up at the others standing above the grave.

"Come up, you two," Bess said. Marking a pentacle around the casket with salt and Buffy's grave at its center, she instructed the others to take up positions at each point. Giles stood directly across from Bess; Spike took up the position between Giles and Bess with Willow and Tara across from him.


	7. Chapter 7

Bess stepped into the woods and changed into her ceremonial robes. Clad in dark purple, she stood at the peak of the pentacle and asked them all to clasp hands and raise them skyward. In a loud, ringing voice, she invoked the spirits that would animate the body. She poured out the blood that had been dropped into the cup from each of their slit palms.

The four that had known Buffy best jumped when a hand reached over the edge of the hole where her casket lay. Panicked eyes met startled eyes as they all watched the blonde-haired body move jerkily out of the hole. It stood and stared, eyes vacant, into the hole it had just climbed out of.

"Saw this, saw this!" Willow murmured frantically beneath her breath. "If I hear her say a WORD about brains, I'm leaving!"

Tara squeezed her hand. "It'll be OK. Send her the love you have for her," she whispered softly.

Bess motioned for the group members to lower their hands.

"Willow, come here," she said. "Lay down next to the grave. I will have Buffy laying with her head facing yours. I will put my hands on both of your heads and say a spell to transfer her mind and essence from your body into hers.

"Spike, Giles, Tara ... I need you three each with candles standing around us. I will need all your love, your energy, being sent to the three of us, OK?"

Willow leaned over and kissed Tara softly, squeezing her hand. "I don't know how this will end," she said softly. "But Tara, I want you to know something. No matter what happens, I am, and will always be, your friend. I love you so much."

Giles looked softly at her.

"I ... am proud of you, Willow," he said. "You have been so strong."

Her eyes welled up with tears.

"Thank you," she said, raising her chin a little.

"Red ..." Spike said, his eyes caring and worried. He'd come to appreciate the fire and courage of Buffy's introverted best friend. They'd grown to be friends of a sort, patrolling together. Every fiber of him wanted Buffy back, but he didn't want to see Willow hurt, either.

"You too," she said, squeezing his shoulder.

Willow lay down, her red hair in vivid contrast to the grass beneath her. Bess motioned for Buffy to lay down as well. Jerkily, the blonde knelt and then lay flat.

Bess knelt between them and her eyes went white as she began murmuring her spell. Tara jumped as a crack of lightning split the night sky above them. Thunder rolled nearly continuously as Bess's body arched, straining to reunite the essence and body of one without harming the other.

Tara's hand reached unconsciously for Giles' when she saw her lover's body go limp. He squeezed it firmly.

Bess let out a cry of pain as a cut appeared on her forehead.

"This isn't supposed to happen," Giles said. "This is white magic reanimation. There's dark here somewhere. Tara, help me."

The two of them stood in front of and behind Bess. Harking back to his Ripper days, Giles began murmuring spells that he knew would show the dark spirits in the area. The demons were thick and dark -- none wanted the Slayer to be back to herself.

Giles paused briefly. "Tara, use your magic for protection. I will battle them."

With none of the hesitation she sometimes had, Tara began calling out to the forces of good. Her hair began to lift upward in an unseen wind. Her face glowed with unearthly light as her voice deepened. A white light lit up the clearing, helping show the location of the demons.

Giles's spirit, on the other hand, stepped away from his body, spirit-sword in hand. He dashed to the dark spirits around them and began fighting. Though it had been long since he'd fought on the astral plane, the memories came back quickly. Quick swordstrokes decapitated demons left and right. Others lay bleeding and broken. He stood easily in the onslaught, bolstered by the protection of Tara's white magic and his own deep-seated power.

They were welded together with their caring about the ones they loved. Spike stood silent and watchful, listening to the battle around him. He lent his own will, his own strength to Bess as she seemed to be nearing the end of her spell.

A burst of white light illuminated the clearing brighter than a camera flash, and Bess fell to the ground in a slump. The three bodies on the ground didn't move.

Tara closed her eyes, tired herself, and Giles' body shook briefly as his spirit re-entered his body. He put a hand around her waist and the two of them stood to the side, waiting to see what would happen. Bess roused first, looking up, her hair damp with sweat. A trembling hand wiped the blood from the cut from her forehead.

"It's done," she said. "We'll know the results in a matter of moments."

Spike reached out to Bess, pulling her up. Swaying slightly, she stood next to the vampire. All jumped when the redhead sat up.

Tara dashed to Willow and knelt in front of her. There was no recognition in the redhead's eyes. Tears welled up in Tara's eyes.

"Hey, baby," she whispered, her voice thick with tears. "Are you OK?"

Willow looked in confusion at the curvy blonde.

"Where am I?" she said.

"You had to help a friend," Tara replied.

Willow tilted her head to the side. "Tara," she said thoughtfully. "Your name is Tara."

"Yes," she replied, helping Willow stand.

Spike knelt next to Buffy, who had not yet responded. He lay a hand on her chest and looked up in wonder, first at Giles, and then the others.

"I feel her heart beat," he said with tears in his eyes. "I ... hear it. And for the first time in a hundred years, I don't want to drink that blood, that aphrodisia, that power. It's her heart, and it's beating again. My heart almost feels like it could beat again. You may not believe me, but there's love. That's all that matters."

Bess smiled softly.

"Wake her up, Prince Charming," she said.

Giles gave a glare, more out of habit than anything, as Spike leaned over and planted a soft kiss on the Slayer's lips. With a gasp, she sat up. The first thing she saw was the vampire, and rather than reach for a stake, she reached for him.

He wrapped his arms around her and picked her up.

"Let's get back," Spike said.

The six walked out of the forest, Willow and Tara hand in hand, the vampire carrying the Slayer, and the two older spellcasters side by side.

The future was not certain, but for the moment, they were together.


End file.
